Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of Somalia Duran Ahmed Farah, described the relations between his country and Qatar as historical and long-standing, based on the mutual respect, joint understanding and co-ordination in the regional and international forums.
He stated that Somalia is part of the Arab and Islamic world, and such continuous visits and talks between the officials of the two brotherly states would consolidate the fraternal ties between them, especially since the two sides have a sincere desire and firm keenness to develop them in various fields
In his statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Farah expressed Somalia’s great appreciation for the fraternal support it receives from Qatar, in addition to its standing with Somalia over the past years until it began to recover from war and instability and until now, the matter that embodies the true meanings of brotherhood.
He pointed out that Qatar is now involved in a development programme in Somalia which includes vital projects such as building roads, linking Mogadishu, the capital, with a number of cities, and other infrastructure projects.
The Somali minister noted that there are co-operation agreements and memoranda of understanding with Qatar in various fields, which in some aspects, related to qualification and training of Somali workers in their country, adding that Somalia is working to benefit from the Qatari expertise and capabilities in these areas, especially since Qatar has an advanced employment system and advanced social services programmes, explaining that this is what his country really needs to benefit from.
Farah stated that Somalia is going through a phase of recovery from war and many difficulties, and wants to benefit from the expertise, advanced and modern country systems in the sectors of labour, workers and social affairs in its various sectors.
In a related context, the Somali minister noted the existence of Qatari investment projects in his country, and in this regard he called on Qatari businessmen to make more such investments, especially as Somalia has promising opportunities and many investment advantages in the sectors of agriculture, livestock and fisheries, pointing out that investing in these resources is a win-win situation.
Farah affirmed that the announcement made by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, of holding free elections for the Shura Council in October 2021 was wise, adding that Qatar is a safe, stable country with many resources, and such a step will enhance the democratic practice and the rule of law in the country.
In response to a question about the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the world, he said: “We must commend the way Qatar has dealt with this epidemic, it has taken all appropriate measures with the required speed and efficiency, by following decisive and unique steps,” stressing that regarding the procedures and the therapeutic steps, as well as the distribution of vaccines, Qatar did not differentiate between a citizen and a resident, and the starting point was primarily a humanitarian one.
Regarding the current situations in Somalia, the minister explained that it is constantly improving after a long period of instability, adding that his country is witnessing a phase of recovery in all economic and social fields, and stability at the political level and nation-building, which confirms that it is on the path to restoring its role and position as well as meeting the needs of its citizens.
Concluding his statement, he expressed his satisfaction with the level reached by the Qatari-Somali relations in various fields, and looking forward to consolidating and developing them further in the future.
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of Somalia Duran Ahmed Farah.
